Caught red-handed by Louis Vuitton. “Almost half” of the 310 influencers controlled in 2022 and 2023 by the fraud repression were “in anomaly concerning the display of the commercial intention of their publications, misleading claims on certain products or the promotion of prohibited products or services “, according to a press release from the DGCCRF on Wednesday.
Reality TV candidates, fashion, beauty or lifestyle influencers, catering or sports influencers, creators of humorous content, video game streamers: the DGCCRF (General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression) indicates having controlled a total of 98 influencers on social networks in 2022 and 212 in 2023.
More or less serious facts
“Almost half of them were abnormal. The DGCCRF has mainly noted the implementation of deceptive commercial practices consisting of not indicating the commercial nature of their publications, or not clearly identifying the person on whose behalf they are distributed,” it is detailed.
The repression of fraud specifies that “for some, it was also noted, at the end of the investigations, more serious facts consisting of declaring or giving the impression that the sale of a product or the provision of a service is lawful when it is not.” Like this case of hyaluronic acid injections by a beautician not qualified as a doctor.
Some influencers “falsely claimed that a product is likely to cure illnesses”, for example “food supplements which would cure certain cancers” or that a product or service “increases the chances of winning at gambling and games”. chance,” continues the DGCCRF.
35 criminal prosecutions following investigations
At the end of these two years of investigation, “35 warnings were sent to influencers for whom the breaches were occasional. For the most serious and deliberate practices, 81 compliance orders were issued as well as 35 criminal proceedings,” according to the report communicated.
The DGCCRF “notes that a majority of controlled influencers are complying, however, investigations are continuing with those who do not comply with their injunction”, it warns, also warning that it will strengthen its controls in 2024.